Man you killed this thread early, Jafo. You could've toyed with him a little first......

I've been a Stardock customer for a long time and Window Blinds is what has kept me around more than any other software.  But I really like Windows 7 and the lack of any WB product or even some clue as to when we could expect it is very discouraging.  What I'm learning is that I don't miss Window Blinds -- or Icon Packager or anything else -- as much as I did at first.  And the sarcastic attitude shown by some people about those who inquire about WB availablity just makes it worse.  I paid my annual fee around the first of the year and since I've been using W7 since it became available, that money has been pretty much wasted.

I'm still checking Win Customize on a regular basis and checking the forums here occasionally but I won't do so forever without some indication that Stardock is moving toward a release of W7 compatible software.  "Shut up and wait" is not an acceptable or respectful response.

Nobody gave that type of response.  Windows 7 is still a beta product, and the final version will most likely not show up until towards the end of the year from reports from various tech outlets.  We have stated several times that WindowBlinds 7 is in development, and that the beta will not show up for another couple of months.

Black Cat,

I agree, although "shut up and wait" was not actually said in those words, but some of the posts I've read certainly implied "shut up and wait".  Now, as far as waiting for the retail release before stardock begins making a Windowblinds for Windows 7 doesn't make sense, IMHO.  Stardock could have released a Windowblinds 7 beta weeks ago, and it would have worked fine with the RC and the retail version.  I would like to see a technical reason why it would not.  Initially when Windows 7 beta was available for public download the Windowblinds for Vista was not compatiable with Window 7 toolbars.  Well, that was months ago and millions of Windows 7 downloads later.  I'm not convinced that Stardock couldn't have come out with a Windowblinds 7 Beta a couple of months back.  People would have understood that it was a beta and some later tweaking would be necessary.  Now it appears we'll have to wait until sometime next year before Windowblinds 7 is available and even then I'm sure tweaking will be necessary.  I'm sure, Black Cat, countless of others, including myself, have wasted a years subscription.  Stardock, tell me I'm completely wrong in my assessment, and that you could not have issued a Windowblinds 7 beta a couple of months ago because it would not have been compatibility.  The fact that Stardock wants it to be "perfect" when it comes out is appreciated, but even Microsoft can't have a perfect Operating System without many updates.  Furthermore, to have a near perfect program feedback from users is essential  in beta and final versions.  Regards. 

Not an employee. He is a Master Skinner with a better understanding of windowblinds than most. He EARNED his title and the priviliges that come with it. * I had to come back and add this...How in the hell do you complain about anything to do with windowblinds, say you love it and you love them all, and NOT know who vstyler is? I mean..come on. You MUST have at least one of his skins.  Where do you people come from?!?!?!?!?!?!?  You remind me of the guy that thought Jethro Tull was a person.

That was their choice.  Niether SD or MS stated the two would be compatible.

'Assuming' will get you almost every time.

Just like when XP came out and then Vista. But let's not forgot how much of a fubar the realease of Vista turned out to be. SD is doing the responsible thing. They have customers who would prefer to wait for the most stable version of w7 and wb. Not to mention their reputation. Go to downloads.com and look at most poular desktop enhancements. SD has almost cornered the the top 10.

Also, those who have downloaded w7 may not be purchasing it or the actual upgrade when it is finally available due to money or whatever. There are still a lot of die hard XP users out there to back that up.

I get tired of folks who act like SD 'owes' them something just because. You got what you paid for. When you buy the software or renew there is nothing that even guarantees they ever will or have to upgrade jack . Yet no one ever gives them credit for the quality of their product or the fact that they do respond and stay on top of developemnts in WIndows and other apps. It's always just' gimme, gimme, gimme'.

I don't believe I have ever seen SD say 'Shut up and wait' or even imply it. They have always been very forthcoming with what they are doing...perhaps not in the timely fashion desired by the instant-gratification- generation is accustomed to. I don't know. No one is saying that anyone has to 'shut-up', but don't expect a warm response from anyone when you complain, either. Those people don't  have to 'shut up and listen'.

Sorry if that sounded harsh.  I just get tired of opening a new thread and it's more of the same. I've only been here for  a few years but I remember a time when there was less whining and more praising.

I think PoSmedley covered it about as well as anyone....

There is a fundamental difference between such programs as Windowblinds [and other shell enhancements/and/or replacements] vs something, say, like Photoshop.

The latter, if not quite 'stable' within a Beta OS - crashes.....it means you can't draw something.

If something which interfaces between the OS Kernel and the user - crashes....the likelihood is you cannot continue to interact with the OS at all.

How often have you seen  a system lock-up due to an un-responsive Explorer.exe?  The OS shell has crashed and your computer will have "lights on but there's no-one home".

Most users are not going to be comfortable with killing the shell process and accessing the kernel direct ... or, alternatively.... a hard reset and losing whatever work/etc that was happening prior.

Microsoft [rightly] plays with all sorts of 'bits' of their Beta OS during this current phase of Win 7's development....and no-one here, OR at MS would be able to guarantee that system lockups, etc will not happen through any such 'deviations' of compatibility.

Stardock is being sensible holding back with any WB7 release as their only real commercial obligation would be to guarantee an on-going compatibility of WB with FINAL-Release Operating Systems....such as Vista, XP, and perhaps what are now 'legacy systems'.

Win 7 is not [currently] a commercial product that 'requires' support.  If current [WB] users choose to experiment with Win 7 that is their choice, not Stardock's.  If that means they have a product [WB] that they cannot subsequently/currently use on the new OS then that too is their choice.  Arguably there is no difference were they to now be playing with a Mac OS and have no option to use WB....other than knowing that when they have an OS that they will be paying for...they will likewise have a WB that can be applied there-to.

This query/request/complaint is not new.  As far as I can recall it has happened pretty much with every new OS beta/release as Microsoft Windows evolved with its GUI.

No-one here is saying 'shut up and wait'.  They are saying 'please be patient'.  I too have Win 7 [in Vmware] but do not have it skinned....I don't have the in-house WB7 either.... but I know that when Neil and the guys are happy/ready/ and confident that the final of Win 7 is to be no different to what is in the wild ...I'll get my 7 ....and so will you...

He also does karaoke.

Thanks for all the comments -- especially from Jafo who seems to have the sort of knowledge of the development that I'm interested in learning more about.  The wall of silence is what bothers me and all insight in welcome.  Maybe you could post something once a month or so with a couple screenshots just so we'll know what's going on.

What I am really hoping *not* to see is the sort of attitude that Creative took toward Vista.  Perhaps it was "responsible" to hold off until Vista was finally, finally final but that policy left a lot of their customers in the lurch, including me.  I recognize that until W7 goes gold, no 7-compatible WB can go gold either, but that doesn't preclude doing the best you can with what MS gives you to work with.  Odds are that the RC is pretty close, so -- speaking as a non-expert, so take it for what it's worth -- it seems to me you could develop a stable beta, maybe even releasing it to a select group of testers ( I volunteer!) and see how it works.  When 7 is RTMed, you could probably finagle a copy somewhere and be pretty much ready to go when the product is made available to the public.

I like Window Blinds -- I wouldn't have been around for as long as I have if that wasn't the case.  I just like to know what's going on.

Thanks again to everybody.

while I,too,would like a WB version compatible with Windows 7 I would also like to be given the chance to beta test it also.

while I may not be a master skinner around here( as I have no artistic talent)I feel that I have been a subscriber long enough for that to count as something-eh?

and by the way- some of you need to check this out

do a wiki search for Jethro Tull(agriculturist) he indeed was a person.................and I do like the band.........

What? He isn't a real person?

Hmmmm, guess that's why I've never received a solitary reply to the hundreds of letters I wrote him each year since 1967.

This is where opinions differ.

You have not paid for a version for Windows 7. No where in the product description does it read that it is compatible with Windows 7.